A talented Native American artist created beautiful ceramic sculptures for some of Hollywood's biggest stars in the 1990s, crafting personalized Pueblo Storyteller figures for celebrities who lent their voices to beloved children's stories. Anahwake Nahtanaba, affiliated with the Caddo tribe, was commissioned by Rabbit Ears Productions in 1991 to create these unique artworks as gifts for the famous actors and actresses who participated in their educational video series.
Rabbit Ears Productions played a significant role in teaching children of the 1990s about legends, folklore, and fairy tales through their animated short films. The company's videos featured popular celebrities voicing characters or narrating classic stories like John Henry, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Jack and the Beanstalk. These productions became a staple of many childhood experiences during that decade, combining entertainment with educational content about cultural traditions and timeless tales.
The commissioned sculptures were presented to an impressive roster of A-list celebrities who contributed their talents to the project. Robin Williams, Glenn Close, Sigourney Weaver, Denzel Washington, Danny Glover, and Meryl Streep were among the notable recipients of these personalized ceramic artworks. Each sculpture was carefully crafted to reflect the individual personality and character of the celebrity it was created for, making each piece truly unique and special.
Nahtanaba explained the deep cultural significance behind her storyteller sculptures, emphasizing their role in preserving Native American traditions. "Each has its own story to tell. The piece reflects the grandfather, the grandmother, the elder, and interplay with the children," she noted. The artist highlighted how storytellers have been instrumental in keeping Native American family folklore and tradition alive for thousands of years, serving as crucial links between generations and cultural preservation.
The traditional role of storytellers in Native American communities extends far beyond simple entertainment. "There are specific elders who do tell the stories and who take on a group of children when they're quite young and may, if they're fortunate enough, bring them right into young adulthood with these stories," Nahtanaba explained. She emphasized that "the stories are always loaded with the principles and standards of the community and of the culture," making the storyteller tradition a vital educational and cultural transmission system.
Each sculpture created for the celebrities incorporated both traditional and contemporary symbolism, reflecting the dual nature of the artist's work. For Sigourney Weaver, Nahtanaba created a special clown figure, explaining, "This is the clown and he is something that Rabbit Ears had asked for especially for her." The piece designed for Robin Williams was described as "very playful," which perfectly captured the late comedian's spirited personality and was reminiscent of his work on a Rabbit Ears production called "Yosemite Sam."
The sculptures also featured unique elements specifically requested by Rabbit Ears Productions, including representations of the company's distinctive logo with "one ear up and one ear down." These personalized storytellers included added features that Nahtanaba didn't normally incorporate into her traditional work, making them special collector's items that bridged the gap between authentic Native American artistry and contemporary popular culture.
This remarkable collaboration between a Native American artist and a children's entertainment company represents an important intersection of traditional cultural preservation and modern media. The sculptures serve as lasting tributes to both the celebrities who helped bring these stories to life and the enduring power of storytelling traditions that have sustained Native American communities for millennia. As November marks Native American Heritage Month, these artistic creations stand as beautiful examples of how indigenous art and contemporary culture can work together to educate and inspire new generations.
